Panasonic: new touch-screen digicamBy
Mike Tomkins(Tuesday, January 27, 2009 - 09:00 EST)Next up on Panasonic's digicam announcement schedule for the day is a second new FX-series model, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580.

The Panasonic FX580 is due to reach US shores this April with a $400 pricetag. This will get buyers the combination of a 12.1 megapixel imager and a 5x optical zoom lens. The standout feature of the Panasonic Lumix FX580 has to be its 3.0" LCD display, which is used not only for framing and reviewing images, but courtesy of a touch panel, as a control device as well.. The FX580 stores its images and videos on Secure Digital / MultiMediaCard media, or in 40MB of built-in memory. The Panasonic DMC-FX580 draws its power from a Lithium Ion battery, and the Lumix FX580's connectivity options include USB 2.0 High Speed, NTSC / Pal standard-definition video, and - with an optional cable - component high definition video.

New LUMIX DMC-FX580 Packs a 25mm Ultra-Wide-Angle and 5x Optical Zoom Into a Touch-Screen Digital Camera Complete With New Advanced iA Mode

MIAMI, FL (January 27, 2009) – Panasonic today announces its newest touch-screen LUMIX digital camera, the slim and stylish DMC-FX580, a successor to last year’s DMC-FX500. The new DMC-FX580 features a 25mm ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC lens with F2.8 brightness, a 5x optical zoom and an increased recording image size from 10.1-megapixel to 12.1-megapixel. Using the popular touch-screen operation is easy with the DMC-FX580’s large 3.0-inch LCD, so both shooting and image playback is intuitive and smooth.

“With the new LUMIX FX580, Panasonic provides for our digital camera consumers, by offering a touch-screen model, for those users who are accustomed to touch-screen technology,” said David Briganti, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “With the FX580, we remain true to Panasonic’s commitment to providing high-quality photos, by advancing our Intelligent Auto mode and using a bright Leica DC lens, we want to help consumers capture beautiful photos, regardless of their interface preference.”

Though featuring a touch-screen, the FX580 uses a hybrid operation system combining the new touch-screen interface and a conventional operation system with the cursor key for intuitive control. Taking advantage of both operation systems, users can set the Auto Focus (AF) and Auto Exposure (AE) at the desired part of the frame by simply touching the subject on the screen while recording. In manual exposure mode, aperture and shutter speed can be adjusted by moving the slider. Users can also make fine adjustments to white balance and color temperature with the touch screen. In playback mode, simply slide a finger across the screen to activate touch scroll for viewing images. An Easy Organization menu is provided to simplify image organizing so the user can quickly select an image to view and edit with the touch menu.

The LUMIX FX580 features Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, a system of technologies, such as MEGA O.I.S., Intelligent ISO Control, Face Detection, AF Tracking*1, Intelligent Exposure and Intelligent Scene Selection, that engage automatically, without the user having to adjust any settings. New in 2009, Panasonic’s advanced iA adds Face Recognition, a feature that recognizes individual faces, making it a “personal verification system” in the digital camera*2. Face Recognition allows a user to give AF and AE priority to a single person in a group, ensuring that a person’s face will be beautifully exposed.

With Face Recognition, when a familiar face is recorded several times, the camera will prompt the user to register the face. Once registered, if the familiar face appears in the frame again, the camera will display the name specified for that person and prioritize focus and exposure so that the face is bright and sharply focused. During registration, the user can change the icon that indicates when the registered subject is in focus and the person’s age can also be added. In playback, users can choose to display only photos that contain a specific registered face using Category Playback, so organizing and viewing photos is much easier.

Panasonic’s newly developed Venus Engine V processor integrates these advanced functions and controls the camera’s operation with high speed, high performance, and low-power consumption. The Venus Engine V has twin CPUs to boast approximately 2.4x processing capability and also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the DMC-FX580 record at a setting of up to ISO 6400*3.

The DMC-FX580 can also record High Definition (1280 x 720p) motion images at 30 fps. And, using the DMW-HDC2 component cable (optional accessories), the video can output directly to a television, such as a Panasonic VIERA® HDTV, for easy playback.

Other features of the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX580 include:

New Panorama Assist scene mode allows users to shoot a number of consistent photos, either vertically or horizontally, by aligning them according to a guide that overlaps the screen. Then using those photos and the bundled PanoramaMaker software, users can create dramatic panoramic images.

Macro Zoom function lets users pull subjects even closer to capture dramatic close-up shots by using the 3x digital zoom in the wide-angle.

Bundled PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 software that features a Face Recognition function that recognizes the faces in photos stored on the computer, allowing the user to easily sort files by the people photographed. Using the software, motion pictures can also be uploaded directly to YouTube.

The DMC-FX580 features an aluminum body and available in silver and black starting in April 2009 for a suggested retail price of $399.95. For more information, please visit www.panasonic.com/lumix.

Dynamic tracking function may fail to lock, lose the subject in AF Tracking, or track different subject depending on the recording conditions.

Depending on background and facial expression, camera may not recognize a registered person. For family members with similar facial features, camera may not correctly identify the intended subject.

The LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lenses are manufactured using measurement instruments and quality assurance systems that have been certified by Leica Camera AG based on the company’s quality standards.

YouTube is a trademark of Google Inc.

All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective corporations.

This unit is compatible with both SD Memory cards and SDHC Memory cards. You can only use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are compatible with them. You cannot use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are only compatible with SD Memory cards. (When using an SDHC Memory card on another device, be sure to read the operating instructions for that device.)

When you set the picture quality to HD, WVGA or VGA, we recommend using a high-speed card with “10MB/s” or greater displayed on the package.

Continuous recording exceeding 2GB is not possible when recording motion JPEG. Remaining time for continuous recording is displayed on the screen.

The use of recorded or printed materials that are protected by copyright for any purpose other than personal enjoyment is prohibited, as it would infringe upon the rights of the copyright holder.

Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic, known for innovative imaging technology that enables high-quality digital photos, introduced the world’s first Micro Four Thirds digital camera. In its commitment to provide consumers with extensive imaging resources, Panasonic LUMIX established the Digital Photo Academy, a series of nationwide workshops designed to instruct consumers how to optimize the features on their digital cameras.